


Intent

by ZaliaChimera



Series: Simon Lauchlan: Executive Bad Guy [3]
Category: Zombies Run!
Genre: Betrayal, Espionage, Gen, Infiltration, Post-Apocalypse, Secret Identity, Villains, Zombie Apocalypse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-19
Updated: 2013-09-19
Packaged: 2017-12-27 02:16:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/973097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZaliaChimera/pseuds/ZaliaChimera
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Simon Lauchlan arrives at Abel Township.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Intent

It doesn't look like much close up; a few fences and tents, a couple of rough shacks around the farmhouse which looks to be the only permanent building in the place. “Hardly seems worth it,” he mutters, passing the binoculars back to one of his men. 

“Should we abort, sir?”

Simon chews on his lip thoughtfully for a moment, a terrible habit that he's had even since he'd given up smoking, and then shakes his head. “No. There's something there. The boss is sure of it and well, previous intel suggests that it has a military connection. Worth checking out anyway.” Even if it turned out to be nothing, it was good to know the status of the various settlements for future reference.

“Sir, we have hostiles coming in from ten o'clock.”

Simon acknowledges the information and hesitates for barely a moment before making the decision. He shrugs out of his tactical jacket, handing it off to one of the men and exchanging it for a rather more battered parka and a backpack. He'd already changed into running gear earlier, some of his own older stuff, all flashy neon and utterly harmless.

“Right well then, might as well make it as realistic as possible.” He takes a breath, preparing himself mentally. “Stay out of sight. I mean it.”

“What if they get close, sir?” one of his men, Hendricks, says, running a hand through his scruffy brown hair.

“Well I don't want you to let them _eat_ me!” Simon says, giving him a look of pure exasperation. “You have noisemakers and the tone devices. If it looks close then use them. If I die out there, I swear my first act will be to bite you.”

It's a genuine concern though. Zoms don't care about rank or who you work for and the controls aren't even halfway foolproof yet. 

“I expect to find everything in good shape when I get back too,” he adds. “Should only be a month. Two tops. Just until we have a bit more intel on the place.” 

His men salute and then they're gone and Simon has a moment to breathe before he starts to run.

It's always been something he does to clear his head, running. You get going and everything else just sort of slips away; the job, the problems, the occasional niggling worry that you're complicit with causing the end of the world. He just lets it slide away until he's no longer Security Chief of Pandora Haze, just Simon, and oh god there are about a dozen zoms following him.

He grins, drags in a breath and laughs. It doesn't get much more visceral than this.

Abel Township is maybe two kilometers away when he starts to pick up their transmissions in his earpiece. For what they suspect is at least partly a military operation, they're pretty awful about encrypting most of their transmissions. He can hear them talking, sounds like a woman and... a kid? Who the hell lets a kid run communications?

The kid says. Sounds like he can't be much into his twenties.

__

____

_____ _

___ _

___Simon puts his head down and keeps running. He thinks they're gaining on him and the settlement is getting closer._ _ _

___ _

___A few hundred metres. Damn, this is cutting it close. He can hear them behind him, undead groans and all he can do is run._ _ _

___ _

___It's the most exciting thing he's done in ages._ _ _

___ _

___He makes it through the gates of the township and pretty much throws himself onto the ground, the sound of gunfire loud in his ears, and all he can do is laugh breathlessly._ _ _

___He's quickly surrounded, a couple of hard looking military guys and scruffy survivors standing around him. He grins up at them guilelessly, raises a hand to wave. “Hey there. Thanks for the save. Salt and Pepper, I thought I was a gonner.” It slides into place so easily, old mannerisms and habits, even the accent slips back in there. Feels kind of natural._ _ _

___“Yeah well, don't get too comfortable,” says a guy, the same one from the radio transmissions and he really does look like a kid. “Welcome to Abel Township.”_ _ _


End file.
